On Economic Opportunity Night Of Convention, Right-Wing Media Complain ISIS Not Named

The focus of the first day of the Democratic National Convention was how to “build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top,” but right-wing media breathlessly attacked the Democratic Party for failing to mention ISIS.

Democrats Open Convention With Income Inequality-Themed Night, No Mention Of ISIS

DNC: Monday’s Theme Was “United Together.” According to a July 15 Democratic National Convention Committee press release, the theme for day one of the Democratic convention was “united together,” which “focus[ed] on putting the future of American families front and center” and “build[ing] an economy that works for everyone”:

Monday will focus on putting the future of American families front and center and how we’re stronger together when we build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top and when everyone has a chance to live up to their God-given potential. [Democratic National Convention Committee, 7/15/16]

PolitiFact: RNC Is “Literally Correct” That ISIS Was Unmentioned At Democratic Convention, But That Ignores Convention Themes. PolitiFact reported that the Republican National Committee sent out an email blast that claimed there were zero mentions of ISIS on day one of the Democratic National Convention. PolitiFact ruled the claim to be “literally correct,” but noted that “the first night was not intended to have a specific focus on foreign policy.” PolitiFact also pointed out that Clinton gave a “fairly muscular call for action against ISIS” while in North Carolina that same day. From the report:

Was the Democratic discussion of ISIS and Islamic terrorism that thin? Basically, yes.

It’s worth noting that the first night was not intended to have a specific focus on foreign policy, leaving the Democrats with three days left to discuss the issue. And Hillary Clinton -- away from the podium in Philadelphia -- issued a fairly muscular call for action against ISIS at the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Charlotte, N.C.

"We have to protect ourselves against terrorists," Clinton told the group. "To do that, we need to lead other countries in stopping ISIS, al-Qaida, and other radical jihadist groups. We shouldn’t leave that to the rest of the world to figure out on their own. That won’t keep us safe."

That said, as it concerns the convention in Philadelphia, the RNC’s statement is literally correct. [PolitiFact, 7/26/16]

National Review Reports On “A Democratic Convention Without Terrorism Talk.” In what he characterized as “the ISIS-free convention,” National Review Editor-in-Chief Jim Geraghty attacked the Democrats for not mentioning ISIS on day one, claiming, “Democrats formulate their governing plans in a happier, peaceful, imaginary world” (bold original):

The ISIS-Free Convention

In the past eleven days, we’ve seen five terrorist attacks in Europe: a truck attack in Nice, a suicide bomber in Ansbach, an attack with an axe on a train in Wuerzburg, a machete attack in Reutlingen, and a priest’s throat slit in Rouen, France.

Wash. Times: “Democrats Don’t Seem To Want To Face” That “We’re At War.”The Washington Times’ Kelly Riddell excoriated the Democratic Party for omitting ISIS from day one of its convention. She accused the party of “living in fairy-tale land” and applauded Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for “depicting a reality that Democrats don’t seem to want to face”:

There were 61 speakers at the Democratic Convention Monday in Philadelphia and not one mentioned the threat of the Islamic State terror group.

[...]

We’re at war folks — whether Democrats want to admit it or not. GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump got blasted by the mainstream press and pundits for being too dark in his closing speech at the Republican National Convention — but he’s depicting a reality that Democrats don’t seem to want to face.

[...]

To ignore that these radical Islamic terrorists, who believe Western culture needs to fundamentally change to abide by Sharia law, is to live in a fairy-tale land. Yes, we really are at war. Just because we’ve had relatively few (but way too many) attacks on our homeland doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. [The Washington Times, 7/26/16]

Daily Wire: “The Democrats Know Their Priorities. And Defeating ISIS Isn’t One Of Them.” The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro ridiculed the Democrats for “find[ing] time to put an illegal immigrant on stage” but not mentioning ISIS at day one of their convention. Shapiro further assailed Democrats as “too busy cheering lustily for a 74-year-old loonbag preaching discredited evils … to worry about another evil murdering priests in Normandy, fireworks-watchers in Nice, gay nightclub-goers in Orlando, and children in Jerusalem”:

That’s right – 61 speakers, zero mentions of ISIS. But the Democrats did find time to put an illegal immigrant on stage, as well as an irritating comedic actress who uses her spare time auctioning sanitary napkins. They found time to take down “offensive” Mississippi state flags and wave Palestinian ones on the floor of the convention. They found time for another actress who claimed that the “border crossed” her family, and a video from J.J. Abrams about that Queen of Mystery and Light, Hillary Clinton.

The Democrats know their priorities. And defeating ISIS isn’t one of them. They’re too busy cheering lustily for a 74-year-old loonbag preaching discredited evils responsible for the murder of 100 million people in the 20th century to worry about another evil murdering priests in Normandy, fireworks-watchers in Nice, gay nightclub-goers in Orlando, and children in Jerusalem. [The Daily Wire, 7/26/16]

Fox’s Martha MacCallum: “Not One Mention Last Night Of ISIS. How Could That Be?” On the July 26 edition of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, co-host Martha MacCallum asked former Clinton administration aide David Goodfriend “how could that be” that ISIS got “not one mention” at the Democratic convention’s first night. Goodfriend reminded MacCallum that “last night we focused on income inequality” and reassured her, “You’re going to hear a lot about how the Democrats would approach a very dangerous world” as the convention proceeds:

MARTHA MACCALLUM (CO-HOST): Priest in France, throat slashed today. Not one mention last night of ISIS. How could that be?

DAVID GOODFRIEND: Well, I invite Governor Pence to keep watching the Democratic convention because each night is differently themed. Last night we focused on income inequality and how to bring back the middle class. You’re going to hear a lot about how Democrats would approach a very dangerous world. And I encourage you to look, you can find it online, the Democratic policy platform. I read it carefully. [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 7/26/16]

Daily Caller: Though Each Convention Speaker Stressed Economic Justice, “None Made More Than Oblique Reference To Terrorism.” The Daily Caller’s Kevin Daley attacked first lady Michelle Obama and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for “urg[ing] a recommitment to the work of economic justice” at the Democratic convention “despite a startling succession of ISIS-inspired lone wolf attacks throughout Europe.” From the July 26 article:

Speakers on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) made no reference to the Islamic State, despite a startling succession of ISIS-inspired lone wolf attacks throughout Europe.

[...]

First lady Michelle Obama, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s vanquished rival Sen. Bernie Sanders also addressed delegates. Though each urged a recommitment to the work of economic justice and protecting children, none made more than oblique reference to terrorism.

Topics addressed by speakers included “Keeping Families Together,” an effort to show solidarity with immigrants and push comprehensive immigration reform, and “Ensuring Equality,” a canticle to the virtue of diversity. [The Daily Caller, 7/26/16]

Rush Limbaugh: “Sixty-One Speeches And Not A One Of Them Mentioned Terrorism.” On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said that “not a one of the” speeches at the DNC on Monday “mentioned terrorism, ISIS, Daesh. Not a one.” He added that “they’ll get to national security at some point.” From the July 26 edition of Premiere Radio Networks’ The Rush Limbaugh Show:

RUSH LIMBAUGH: How many speeches do you think there were there last night? There were sixty-one. Sixty-one speeches and not a one of them mentioned terrorism, ISIS, Daesh. Not a one. They claim that’s coming later. Wait, well, we got a theme every night. Tonight our theme is adultery; Bill Clinton doing the keynote. I mean tonight the theme is -- well they’re going to do some theme tonight. Then they’re going to do, they’re going to do, they’re going to do -- they’ll get to national security at some point. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 7/26/16]

Townhall: “One Key Topic Was MIA” From the Democratic Convention: “The Rise Of ISIS.” Townhall’s Cortney O’Brien asserted, “With the devastating amount of terror attacks authored by ISIS in recent months, you would think the Democrats would at least address it” on their opening night:

Over 60 speeches were made Monday night at the Democratic National Convention, yet one key topic was MIA: the rise of ISIS.

The Republican National Committee pointed out the unforgivable omission on Twitter.

With the devastating amount of terror attacks authored by ISIS in recent months, you would think the Democrats would at least address it and how they plan to confront and combat the terror cell.

Americans will be voting for our commander in chief in November - you better believe national security will be on their minds. [Townhall, 7/26/16]

Weekly Standard: Despite Spate Of Attacks, “Not A Single Speaker” Mentioned ISIS. The Weekly Standard’s Mark Hemingway wrote a brief article outlining the many attacks attributed to ISIS in recent months to build to the observation that “not a single speaker at the first night of the Democratic convention mentioned ISIS”:

During morning mass Tuesday, two ISIS terrorists stormed a Catholic church in France and killed an 86 year-old priest. Another person was seriously wounded. Monday afternoon, German authorities announced that a suicide bomb attack in Ansbach was perpetrated by a man pledging allegience (sic) ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. These are just the latest in a spate of ISIS inspired attacks in Europe and America in the past year.

Despite this, not a single speaker at the first night of the Democratic convention mentioned ISIS. [The Weekly Standard, 7/26/16]

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Bobby Lewis is a researcher at Media Matters, where he has worked since February 2016. He has a bachelor’s degree in U.S. history from Ohio University. He previously interned at the Marijuana Policy Project.